“When he said our numbers are few, he was telling us to rescue more of our kind to grow the organization.”
“And where do we go to rescue our kind?”
Jetis's lips curled up slightly.
“Master's very next sentence gave us the answer.”
At this, all the vampires silently recalled the words Li Xiuman had just spoken.
“‘It is best if you do not act too conspicuously in White Bear City...’”
“Master's meaning... is for us to rescue our compatriots in other cities to expand the organization!”
One of the vampires managed to keep up with Jetis's brainstorm.
Jetis snapped her fingers.
“Exactly.”
“‘It is best not to do so in White Bear City.’”
“If not in White Bear City, then doesn't that mean other cities?”
“Master saw right through our shortcomings with a single glance.”
“That is, our numbers are too few to amount to anything, and we are too small-minded.”
“That is why Master sneered when he heard the name ‘White Grim Reaper’ just now.”
“Our organization is unworthy of such a name!”
Jetis pulled out a map, unfolded it, and pinned it to the wall.
“White Bear City is located in the central part of the kingdom. There are numerous cities in all directions—east, west, south, and north.”
“In those cities, there are countless compatriots of ours who are imprisoned and being tortured!”
“The path Master has pointed out to us is right here on this map!”
“Master not only saw our shortcomings at a glance, but he also saw our strengths.”
“There was another line before ‘It is best if you do not act too conspicuously in White Bear City.’”
“‘Your identities are sensitive.’”
Rorona chimed in from the side.
“Exactly, that is the line.”
“We are vampires. In this world, we are destined to be rejected and misunderstood.”
“But we are also the most united!”
“Because, other than our own kind and Master, no one else will accept us.”
“As long as we rescue our compatriots and gather them together, no one in this world will be able to drive a wedge between us.”
“This is the path Master has pointed out for us!”
Jetis paused, then continued.
“This is the path Master has pointed out for us.”
“And Master's benevolence lies in the fact that he hid this path.”
“Because this path is destined to be covered in thorns, a road that can only be drenched in blood.”
“This is also the choice Master has left us.”
“Will we pretend we didn't notice anything, act only on the surface meaning of Master's words, and live safely under his protective wings?”
“Or will we step out from under Master's wings, grow, and become his wings and his strength?”
“Master has left all of these choices to us.”
...
“This is my interpretation, but I'm afraid I have only deciphered a fraction of his true meaning.”
Jetis's words made Rorona feel somewhat ashamed.
Even though he was the first to know Master and had been granted a True Name by him.
Thinking back now on everything Li Xiuman had said to him in the past, it seemed like every single sentence hid some profound meaning.
Yet he hadn't noticed a thing, only understanding the surface meaning.
Master must be somewhat disappointed in him.
If only he had even half of Sister Jetis's wisdom.
“If Master hadn't saved me, I would probably still be in prison, enduring the torture of those despicable humans. Therefore, I will definitely march forward along Master's path.”
“Me too!”
“Master's figure looks so lonely.”
“Even if it costs me my life, I am willing to become Master's shadow, supporting him in silence from behind forever!”
“Me too!”
“Master's path already lies ahead.”
“In that case, what reason do I have not to follow? Thorns and blood are nothing—after all, that is exactly where Master saved us from.”
“Me too!”
Jetis looked at the pairs of crimson eyes glowing in the darkness and listened to their words.
She thought to herself:
Master, my compatriots have not let you down.
And I will do my utmost to use these eyes, which can still see quite clearly, to find the path you tread.
Then, I will lead them to follow you.
No matter what lies ahead, we will follow closely behind you like shadows.
“Is no one going to back out?”
...
Jetis said nothing more.
She simply turned and drew a circle on the map, right over Iron River City, where Li Xiuman had gone before.
“Master has already paved the way for us.”
“Our cooperation with the Reby Merchant Association may seem like a choice I made, but Master likely anticipated it long ago.”
“The first step for our organization is money.”
“The Reby Merchant Association is our channel.”
“And Iron River City is the best blacksmithing city in the region, home to countless excellent weapons.”
“This is our first step.”
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